Ram 1500 REV: Performance speed, serious towing power

In every EV story we publish, some wag has to comment ‘but it won’t tow my caravan!’ This is for you buddy.

The highly anticipated Ram 1500 REV is expected to launch in the USA in late 2024 with Australian rollout following “very close” to its American debut

It’s the sports-car fast electric pick-up truck that out-powers and out-tows any Toyota HiLux or Ford Ranger. And it’s headed for Australia.

American pick-up brand Ram used the 2023 New York Auto Show to confirm the production details of its first all-electric pick-up, the 1500 REV, and the numbers are staggering.

Featuring one of the biggest batteries ever fitted to an electric vehicle — the REV will be offered with a choice of a 168kWh or a 229kWh battery — the EV workhorse will travel up to 800kms on a single charge.

The REV is set to beat the competition on range, towing, payload and charge time

Providing the power are dual 250kW electric motors, one positioned at each axle, delivering a total system output of 487kW and 840Nm, which is enough to see the jumbo-sized pick-up accelerate to 100km/h in a performance-car rivalling 4.4 seconds.

Ram says the 1500 REV is also every bit as tough as an ICE-powered equivalent, with a towing capacity of more than six tonnes, and a payload of 1.2 tonnes.

The Ram 1500 REV is still some way away from production, with the truck expected to launch in the USA in late 2024. But Ram’s global chief, Mike Koval, says an Australian rollout will follow “very close” to its American debut.

The REV features a 14.5-inch touchscreen, a segment-first 10.25-inch passenger screen, digital rearview mirror, and heads-up display

“The idea here, and with any future product, is that we are a global brand more than ever. Historically, Ram brand sales have been predominantly in North America. Not anymore. If you look at the numbers of South America, the Middle East, Australia, New Zealand … this is where something like (the 1500 REV) can really help us. This is all about global growth,” he told The Australian.

“This should enable us to expand our presence. There may be staggered approach (to launch), but it will be very close (to its American debut). We‘re not excluding anybody out of the gate.”

The petrol-powered Ram 1500 is one of Australia’s manufacturing success stories, with the vehicles converted from left- to right-hand drive through Ram Trucks Australia and Walkinshaw in Melbourne.

The local outfit sold more than 6000 examples of the US-designed truck in Australia last year, and has converted more than 20,000 vehicles since the program began in late 2015.

The interior of the REV incorporates carbon fibre, metal and leather elements

“We appreciate everything that the team in Australia and New Zealand (do), they‘ve been fantastic partners for us. And you see the numbers — I mean, we’re growing by leaps and bounds year after year,” Mr Koval says.

The 1500 REV is the latest American pick-up truck to turn to electrification, following on the heels of the Ford F-150 Lightning, which proved so popular in its home market the brand was forced to pause new orders before production had even begun, and has since doubled its production capacity in an effort to reduce wait times.

While the Lightning is yet to be confirmed for Australia, the petrol-powered Ford F-150 will launch here towards the end of 2023.